Straw-cutter



HILL & JUNE-s.

Straw Cuttr. l Patented Sept. 8,1857.

vNo. 18,146.

1 QA. v mm L UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

PORTER HILL AND CHARLES E. JONES, OF MILLPORT, NEW YORK.

STRAW-CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 18,146, dated September 8, 1857.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, PORTER HILL and CHARLES E. JONES, both of Millport, in the county of Chemung and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Cutting Straw,- Hay, &c.; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompany-A ing drawings, making part of this specificaj tion, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure l is a longitudinal elevation of our machine. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the head of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectionv showing `the feed-works detached.

Similar letters refer to like parts in all I the figures.

Our machine consists of a close cylinder A Fig. 1,having through its center a horizontal shaft B, which has its bearings in the upright portion of the frame C C. The

about semi-distant between the center andv circumference. The outer space thus'formed,

' is divided by the radial partitions b b, into three or four compartments, for the reception of the straw, one of which is shown open, F, Fig. 1.

The cylinders may be built entirely of iron or other metal, but for cheapness and lightness we prefer to build them of wood and cast iron as follows :.-The end pieces are cast in iron, the outer rings being provided with a broad flange c c Fig. 3.y And also flanges or recesses fitted to receive the inner partitions, E and b b. These are placed upon the shaft B, and one of them permanently secured, when the partitions which consist of wooden staves are placed in their positions, and the other ring or end piece is driven up till it clutches the staves tightly when it is secured by a pin or bolt through the shaft, or by a nut screwed tightly against it.

A single broad stave, (shown removed from the cylinder, at Fig. 4,) forms a door to the chamber in which the straw is placed. This slides back through a slot in the end ring as shown by the dotted lines, cl, d, to allow the straw to be thrown in. A follower G forces the straw forward to feed it to the knife as is hereafter described.

The knife, H, Fig. 2, consists of a thin steel disk ground to a cutting edge on its periphery. It is of a smaller diameter, say about one half that of the cylinder, and is attached to a short shaft or axle, e, Fig. l, which has its journal on the side of the post C. The inner side of the knife or cutting disky runs close against the head ring f of the cylinder, the friction of which, as it is turned causes the knife also to rotate 'on its aXls.

A loose ring, I, hangs upon the bearings, g, g, which allow it a lateral play of about half an inch. It is of the same size of the cylinder head, and is held against the outside of the knife at the top, by the pressurepulley h which has its bearing against the spring, This ring prevents the knife springing and also keeps the edge close against the head ring, in its proper position for cutting, while it forms another bearing or point of resistance for the straw while it is being cut. The edge of the knife being very thin and running between the two rings, cuts as it were, in a groove. Should the straw be inclined to bend under the edge, the ring I prevents it.

The knife, it will be seen cuts with a rolling motion like a saddlers round knife, which is much less liable to dull and injure the edge than a stroke, or a drawing motion. The lateral playwhich the loose ring has in connection with the pressure upon it by the pulley h keeps it thrown o from the head ring at the bottom, and thus prevents any clogging from the cut straw accumulating between it and the head.

The knife acts upon the straw by first subjecting it to gradual pressure between its edge and the head ring of the cylinder, as the revolution of the cylinder brings it into a diminishing angle between the two at 7c, and, cutting upon the shears-principle, against the edge of the head-ring, severs it with great ease.

Each compartment F of a cylinder of ordinary size, will receive a bundle of straw and it turns with the slightest power when once set in motion. The cylinder being loaded at the periphery only operates to produce the effect of a balance wheel, by keeping up the motion that is imparted to it.

The devices for feeding are as follows To the bottom of each chamber a stationary ratchet bar Z is fixed; by its side is a similar one m, but loose, and capable of a reciprocating motion. This latter projects through the head of the cylinder and connects by means of a notch n Fig. 3, with a flange on the eccentric ring J. This ring is stationary, and, as the cylinder revolves, the bar m, is drawn back the distance of the Obliquity or inclination of the ring from the perpendicular, during one half of the revolution, and thrown forward as much during the last half, thus keeping up a constant reciprocatory action. The follower G, forms a partition to the chamber, and sits across the ratchet-bars Z and m. Directly over them the two dogs 0 0 are attached to the follower. They act independently of each other, and are held in mesh with the ratchet teeth by the springs p, p. As the movable bar m is thrown forward, the clip or dog o, holds while the other is drawn over the ratchet, but when the bar m returns, the dog o holds, and prevents the follower being drawn back again. Thus each revolution feeds the follower up a certain distance, being the length required to cut the straw, the movement being effected in that part of the revolution of the'cylinder which gives a downward motion to the straw-chamber, to prevent feeding against the knife. To regulate the distance of t-he feed, the eccentric ring J is hinged at g, and by loosening the set screw r, can be placed at a greater or less angle by which the straw can be cut from of an inch to an inch and a half in length, as desired. The follower is drawn back when the straw is all fed through by means of the small lever s, in the door L, Fig. 4. Its ordinary position is that shown by the red dotted line, t Fig. 3. By raising it to the perpendicular, it presses on the dogs 0, o', raising them from the ratchets, when, by drawing the door back, the follower is drawn back also, being caught by the small hooks u u, which also serve another purpose, that of ianges to the door. To keep thedoor in its proper position while sliding, a cross-spring fv, attached to the follower, bears against the sides of the cylinder and gives steady motion to the follower. Hay may be cut equally well, and mixed withv straw for winter feeding. l.

The whole working parts are simple and not liable to get out of order, and a noteworthy advantage lies in the greater ease with which the cutting is effected, and the rapidity with which it is done. The knife presents a cutting edge of about forty inches in length` or the circumference of a disk thirteen inches in diameter, and the whole outer chamber of the cylinder being full of straw, there is no cessation to the cutting until the chambers are exhausted. The knife is easily kept sharp by holding a stone to the edge while the cylinder is revolving, which grinds the whole equally.v

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the rotating knife or cutting disk H, with the series of revolving chambers F, arranged around a central shaft or axis, in such a manner that the revolutions of the same shall bring the straw in each successively between the edge of the knife and periphery of the chambers.

2. We further claim the manner of feeding the straw to the knife, by means of the eccentric J, the permanent and movable rachet bars Z, m, and dogs, 0 o, so arranged as to crowd the straw forward only when the chamber F, by descending is clear of the action of the knife, and also be capable of adjustment to different degrees of feed as herein set forth.

PORTER HILL. CHARLES E. JONES. Zitnesses J. F RAsER, A. E. FRASER. 

